Wheel hop

[dag19]

After I got done taking 2 leaves out of the rear of my 70, I mashed on the gas (after a few easy trips around the block) and the whole rearend of my pickup bounced all over the road. What do I need to do so this quits happening?

[raycow]

You will need some type of traction bars. When you removed leaves you reduced the spring's torsional resistance, and now the axle housing is winding up the spring when you are putting torque through it. This is also bad for the rear U-joint.

Ray

[cdowns]

stop mashing gas pedal the resulting abuse stops

[Ronnny]

Must be nice to have leaf springs. And i guess you took them out to lower the truck. Your springs got weaker and now you have wheel hop or also called axle wrap. If it were me i would put a spring back in and see if it cleared it up. I will asume your shackle is in the rear Put 1 or both back in and make a longer link on the shakle. It should be inverted if it is like the 73-and up trucks. So a 2" longer shackle will lower the truck about an inch. On the 4x4 trucks we would do a shackle flip to raise the trucks. You could also go for traction bars of a sort but would not really fix the problem just hid it. also could get the springs straightened at a spring shop or just look at overload springs and leave the 2 you took out out. Losts of options. If your springs are over the axle tube you could do a spring under conversion.

[jrcaprai]

http://www.calvertracing.com/caltracs.php

[dag19]

Originally Posted by cdowns

stop mashing gas pedal the resulting abuse stops

Haha that is easier said than done!!

[dag19]

Originally Posted by jrcaprai

http://www.calvertracing.com/caltracs.php

Daggum...those are nice but $400 nice?! Are there cheaper options out there? Didn't coil pickups come factory with traction bars? I can't recall. THANKS a lot for the link though, if I can't find anything out I will hit these guys up.

[dag19]

Originally Posted by Ronnny

Must be nice to have leaf springs. And i guess you took them out to lower the truck. Your springs got weaker and now you have wheel hop or also called axle wrap. If it were me i would put a spring back in and see if it cleared it up. I will asume your shackle is in the rear Put 1 or both back in and make a longer link on the shakle. It should be inverted if it is like the 73-and up trucks. So a 2" longer shackle will lower the truck about an inch. On the 4x4 trucks we would do a shackle flip to raise the trucks. You could also go for traction bars of a sort but would not really fix the problem just hid it. also could get the springs straightened at a spring shop or just look at overload springs and leave the 2 you took out out. Losts of options. If your springs are over the axle tube you could do a spring under conversion.

You are correct Ronny, I did take them out to lower it. I do enjoy the leaf springs for sure. Plenty of options with them. The problem with doing the shackle trick is I already have 3" drop shackles back there! And that is as low as I can go with that. What is this that you speak of with the overload springs? What would I have to do to fix it up with those?

[dag19]

So all this leaf spring talk brings up another question. When I went down to the local spring shop to have them build me a set of U bolts we got to discussing rear ends. He asked what I have, so I said a 70 1/2 ton. He said, "with leaf springs?" I said yessir. He said "no dice!" He went on to say that I actually had a 3/4 ton because all 1/2 tons up to 1971 had coils in the rear end. The 1971's and 72 1/2 tons were available with leaf springs. Can anyone solidify and clarify these statements? I took his knowledge and ran with it just because the old timer has been doin it for 50 years!! So any insight would help me out. THANKS!

[*Dylan]

Take everything you hear with a grain of salt. 3/4 ton trucks were not the only trucks to get leaf springs. Nearly all GMC trucks came with leaf springs, with coil springs being an option. Whereas nearly all Chevy trucks came with coil springs stock and leaf springs as an option. I do believe you could get leaf or coil on any truck and that it was not limited to just 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton. Take that with a grain of salt as well, because I'm only about 90% sure that it's right.

[71meangreenc10]

I think he needs to do some research, 71/72 chevys came with coils 71/72 GMC's came with springs.

All but the stock 70 (If I am right) GMC's came with springs.

All Chevys (If I am right) came stock with coils (67-72).

Chevy didnt drop the coils until the next body style (73-Up)

Smitty

[dag19]

Well see there is yet ANOTHER option that it could be!! Maybe it is a GMC 1/2 ton?! Haha I agree though I will take it all with a grain of salt. Can the VIN be decoded on these years of pickups?

[71meangreenc10]

The only thing I see different in the VINS that tell you what type is the 72 models, maybe its just mine but my GMC's had a - in the VIN where my chevys never have.

Get a picture of the SPID, that will help.

Smitty

[*Dylan]

It could be a Chevy 1/2 ton with the leaf spring option as well. What makes you think it could be a GMC? Unless you feel someone may have swapped frames at one time there shouldn't be much reason to suspect that. Like 71meangreenc10 said, a picture of the SPID may help.

Edit: Or I suppose someone could have swapped out front clips and tailgates as well. The VIN should tell you what you have though.

[dag19]

Originally Posted by 71meangreenc10

Get a picture of the SPID, that will help.

Smitty

What is the SPID?

[*Dylan]

It's the sticker on the inside of your glovebox door. It shows all the options your truck came with.

[71meangreenc10]

Decal on the inside of the glove box door....

Service Parts Identification Decal....or something like that.

Smitty

[dag19]

Nah I really don't believe it is a GMC cause that would be a lot of changing to do just to have a "chevy". Doesn't seem feasible. The previous owner had done a bit of work to it though...but nothing major.

[71meangreenc10]

Originally Posted by *Dylan

It's the sticker on the inside of your glovebox door. It shows all the options your truck came with.

I am too slow...Lash me now....

Smitty

[dag19]

Oh ok cool...I will check it out tonight. I know that it is fairly tattered and worn. I hope I can make out what it says...

[*Dylan]

Originally Posted by 71meangreenc10

I am too slow...Lash me now....

Smitty

Haha sorry, I'm just sitting here killing time. Your answer helped me out though, I had no clue what the actual acronym stood for.

[71meangreenc10]

If you can read it the VIN will be on there too, it should match the door jam VIN, tell you the wheel base.......

Smitty

[dag19]

Alright I will check it out. I know the VIN is on the door jam etc. I will study the glove box tonight. I hope it reveals this mystery machine!

[71meangreenc10]

If you can read it, it should tell you everything, alot of people dont check the SPID when buying these trucks and it costs them $$$$....ie they buy a shortbed that has been cut down from a longbed and the PO told them it was a shortbed, the VIN has been changed and they didnt change the SPID = mystery truck. Lots of sneaky people out there and I have caught a couple.

Smitty

[raycow]

Originally Posted by 71meangreenc10

71/72 chevys came with coils 71/72 GMC's came with springs.

All but the stock 70 (If I am right) GMC's came with springs.

All Chevys (If I am right) came stock with coils (67-72).

Chevy didnt drop the coils until the next body style (73-Up)

Beginning with 63, Chevy offered the option of leaf springs on 2WD, and you do find a few out there like that. Strangely enough, GMC offered the option of coils, and those trucks are really scarce.

Ray